New IT Solution for the Fairmined System

In order to transform artisanal and small-scale mining and improve the quality of life of miners, the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) has developed the Fairmined standard. An increasing number of buyers have shown that ethical values, fair working conditions and environmental issues also have become relevant purchasing decision criteria in the gold and precious metals industry. In the context of the increasing demand and the recent expansions in Europe and the US, ARM has decided to implement Ecert – a professional IT solution for traceability and certification management from Intact.

But what does compliance with the Fairmined Standard actually mean? Gold and associated precious metals that are certified according to the Fairmined Standard are ethically mined metals from artisanal and small-scale miners. Certified mining organizations have to fulfil a number of requirements regarding the social, environmental and economic management of their operations. The purchase of Fairmined metals supports responsible miners and their families through a guaranteed price and a differential Fairmined Premium to be invested in continuous improvement of the mining organizations’ sustainability.

“We are very pleased that ARM have chosen us to support them in achieving their goals regarding ethical mining and procurement”, says our CEO Thomas Lorber. ”In our view, ARM’s strong commitment in the fields of traceability, environmental protection, the fair treatment of miners and locals is rather progressive for this kind of industry and therefore very much in line with our company philosophy”.

The Alliance for Responsible Mining is an independent, global-scale, pioneering initiative, which was founded in 2004 to enhance equity and wellbeing in artisanal and small-scale mining communities. ARM is committed to promoting social justice and environmental responsibility, which it considers crucial factors for a dynamic transformation of the artisanal and small-scale mining sector.

“We have chosen Intact because of their proven track record in developing solutions for audit and certification management. We are excited about beginning the implementation of this information system that will further back-up the credibility of the Fairmined Certification System” says Ronald Koepke, ARM´s Ecert Project Manager.